Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 through FY 2026 Bridge Investment Program, Planning and Bridge Project Grants

Background
The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) is providing financial assistance for a project to replace, rehabilitate, preserve, or protect one or more bridges on the National Bridge Inventory (NBI) under 23 U.S.C. 144(b). The purpose of this notice is to solicit applications for two funding categories: (1) Planning and (2) Bridge Project grants for awards under the Bridge Investment Program (BIP).

The goals of the program are to improve the safety, efficiency, and reliability of the movement of people and freight over bridges; improve the condition of bridges in the United States; and provide financial assistance that leverages and encourages non-Federal contributions from sponsors and stakeholders involved in the planning, design, and construction of eligible projects.

Grant Details
Bridge Project grants include projects to replace, rehabilitate, preserve, or protect one or more bridges on the NBI under 23 U.S.C. 144(b) and bridge bundling and culverts.

Planning grants include projects for planning, feasibility analyses, and revenue forecasting associated with the development of a project that would subsequently be eligible to apply for assistance under the BIP.

A total of up to $9.62 billion in FYs 2023 through 2026 BIP funds is available for Large Bridge Project grants and Bridge Project grants funding opportunities. Awards of BIP funds for Bridge Project grants may not exceed 80 percent of total eligible project costs. For Planning grants, a total of up to $20 million each in FYs 2023 through 2026 BIP funds is available.

Eligibility Requirements
Eligible applicants include States or groups of States; metropolitan planning organizations serving urbanized areas with a population over 200,000; units of local government or groups of local governments; political subdivisions of a State or local government; special purpose districts or public authorities with a transportation function; Federal Land Management Agencies (FLMA); Tribal governments or consortiums of Tribal governments; and multi-State or multijurisdictional groups of entities as described above.

Per statutory requirements during FY 2022 through FY 2026, in each State from which an eligible project is submitted, DOT will award not fewer than one Large Bridge Project that is deemed justified or two Bridge Projects that are deemed justified.

Period of Performance
For FY 2023 and FY 2024 funds, applications must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. EST on March 19, 2024 for Bridge Project grants and by February 19, 2024 for Planning grants.

Grant Value
A total of up to $9.62 billion in FYs 2023 through 2026 BIP funds is available for Large Bridge Project grants and Bridge Project grants funding opportunities. Awards of BIP funds for Bridge Project grants may not exceed 80 percent of total eligible project costs. For Planning grants, a total of up to $20 million each in FYs 2023 through 2026 BIP funds is available.